Putting the Atlas on the map

Only an hour from the madness of Marrakesh, this mountainous part of Morocco is starting to go up in the world

Never mind Marrakesh, with its medina and done-to-death riads: the latest destination in Morocco is upcountry, in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Only an hour's drive out of the city, the valleys and tiny Berber towns around Ouirgane are slowly being populated by British buyers keen to move away from the markets to the valleys, which are not dissimilar to rural Mallorca or Andalusia.

Philippe Fargeix moved to Marrakesh from France a decade ago and set up his estate agency, La Vitrine de l'Immobilier, in the ancient medina. Back then, he recalls, there were only 10 guesthouses and you could pick up a dilapidated riad for about £15,000. Now there are 1,000 places to stay.

"Until recently, everyone wanted riads with five bedrooms, which is the minimum size for a guesthouse; prices have risen by at least 500% in 10 years," he says. This year's 25% price fall pales